


Sweet as Sugar

by panthershabit



Series: IronPanther [6]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Architect Tony Stark, Barista T'Challa, Coffee Addict Tony Stark, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Sweet T'Challa (Marvel), Tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-12 00:44:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19218160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panthershabit/pseuds/panthershabit
Summary: Sam and Bucky tell Tony of this lesser-known coffee place that literally has the best coffee on Earth, and when Tony sees the man serving him, coffee isn't the only thing he wants.





	Sweet as Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> Because I have an addiction to coffee shop AUs and IRONPANTHER DESERVES ONE. This is a no-powers/no-superheroes AU.
> 
> additional note - the last week has probably been one of the busiest of my life so i apologize for barely any updates. ironpanther fics will be updated tomorrow!

"I think I'm going to die..." Tony whined, burying his head in his crossed arms on the table. On the other side were James and Sam, his best friends, who found his overreactions wildly entertaining. James had his hair in a neat ponytail and Sam secretly hated it only because he couldn't run his fingers through the brunet's silky hair, but this display of hurt over their local Starbucks being closed definitely made his day. "What's next for me? You'd think the world's pockets would be full from it constantly taking from me!"

James stifled his laughter as Tony's words muffled but could still be understood and Sam nudged his boyfriend silently with an amused smile, yet 'disapprovingly' shaking his head to get him to stop. All the long-haired man could do was tilt his head to debate how difficult it was not to laugh and Sam clamped on the inside of his mouth to hide his humored smile.

"Come on, Tony. It's not the end of the world..." Sam assured. But Tony kept his head down and shook his head. 

"Not  _your_  world, but for me, it's the judgment day and I'm stuck on Earth while all the caffeine goes up!"

After that statement, Bucky had to cover his mouth with his palm otherwise he was going to lose it whereas Sam simply chuckled and scratched his neatly-groomed beard. He had a solution but he also knew how fussy Tony Stark could be so the man decided to mull over whether or not the risk was worth it. After a few seconds, he heard Tony groan against the smooth oak of the table they were sat at and opted to go with it anyway.

"Dude, relax. There's this coffee place not too far from here, but it's one of those lesser-known joints. Trust me, the coffee there is to  _die_  for, me and Buck go at least twice a week. But the thing is, it's not like your typical coffee shops - in a good way."

Tony's head slowly raised. Eyebrow going up, he began to slowly come back to the world and felt his hopes skyrocket as well as his curiosity spark.

"What's it called?" Tony asked as Bucky smiled at the way the other brunet at the table perked from the idea of new coffee.

"Taste of Wakanda," Sam started, looking over to Bucky. "They have this amazing sign that lights up, I think it's in Wakandan too, and we saw it from far away."

Tony scratched his beard and mulled of the name 'Wakanda', he'd definitely heard it before. Then it came to him - the country that told other nations that they did not want their help and that they would operate independently, yet not many people knew anything about the country. Tony himself had done his best to research it after one night of not being able to sleep and finishing a design for a city hall, finding nothing that hadn't already been covered. 

"Wakanda? As in the place that nobody has a clue about?"

"Yeah, but honestly, it's like the best thing  _ever_. The food there is to die for and with the coffee, you're practically in eternal paradise."

Sam's heart jumped at the memory of one of the dates he had with Bucky at the coffee shop. How beautiful the lights were and swatting Bucky's hand away from his food, even if he could not blame the long-haired man for trying. 

"You know what, Tony, you've been stressing out about this design plan for the church in Hell's Kitchen but this place could really be good for you. It's a chance to unwind, lose yourself to the lights and get some peace," Bucky explained.

The New Yorker had an excited smile on his face and felt his body buzzing to see this new place. A friend of his, Matt Murdock, had asked if he could redesign the church after a bunch of thugs had robbed it and ended up knocking candles over the carpet, leading to a fire burning the building down.

"I can't see why it would hurt to try it out. Sure, why not?"

After initially getting a text from Tony pleading for them to come down because he was 'breaking down', Sam and Bucky now realized that instead of having a lazy lunch in bed while they watched Golden Girls - Sam's choice though Bucky always thought Sam's 'dirty little secret' was much different, they were taking Tony to get coffee. 

 

* * *

 

Gently rubbing the back of his neck, Tony followed behind the couple as they approached the coffee shop and the first thing that allured his eyes was flashing purple sign that buzzed above him. He wasn't really a fan of trying new things but all he had heard about this place were wonderful things so he wouldn't miss the opportunity to get some good coffee.

The bell on the door rang as Sam was the first to enter and it was truly breathtaking as soon as the shorter-haired brunet traveled his sights around the room. The walls had a steel gray setting accompanied by streaks of golden which resembled pillars with their design and had Wakandan inscriptions towards the tip of them. It certainly looked regal and when his eyes dropped to his feet, it was amazing to see glass panels across the surface.

"Holy shit, this place looks incredible!" Tony exclaimed excitedly. Sam smirked at the man's joy and looked over at Bucky, who was also happy to see Tony happy. The two had known the architect long enough to know if there was one thing that Tony deserved, it was to be excited. Being an architect proved to be very stressful for Tony and he was a perfectionist who took it to heart if someone wasn't a fan of the window design.

To his right was a line of different baristas and as Sam was ordering his and his boyfriend's coffee, Tony noticed one of them casually sweeping through his phone as the line wasn't too demanding. Usually, most baristas would be petrified to draw their phones out but these guys seemed really down to earth and that vibe made Tony smile. Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed that he was just staring at the man while doing so until his taller friend bumped his shoulder against him and he looked up, prompting Tony to quickly turn his head with a slight burn in his cheeks. 

Bucky had been watching the entire time and stifled his laughter,  _again_  on the same day, with his hand covering his mouth. Tony was beginning to wonder if Bucky had been eating those damn brownies nobody else around him could eat. 

After what felt like forever, the words 'next, please' saved Tony from being lost in embarrassment and he approached the guy with unique dreads.

"Wassup, how can I help you?" he asked. Tony opened his mouth to answer but the man Tony had been staring at interrupted him.

"Erik, you cannot greet customers with ' _wassup_ '," he smiled and Tony couldn't help but be humored by the remark. Erik seemed not to care and snorted a laugh.

"Shit, you just cut him off from making his order," Erik countered and the taller man laughed loudly while the other one shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't worry, I don't mind," Tony assured and Erik appreciated the gesture, as well as the man the same height as him.

"See, T'Challa?" Erik asked and T'Challa crossed his arms.

"Whatever," T'Challa chuckled. Tony found himself looking again and when T'Challa's eyes met his, Tony swallowed while choosing not to break his sights from the man. It was a huge risk but one he deeply hoped would pay off. "Please ignore my cousin's manners and pretend he didn't greet you like one of his friends, even if we are a friendly environment."

His beaming smile encouraged Tony to return the gesture and he nodded.

"Sure thing," Tony grinned and it didn't go unnoticed. "Can I get a pumpkin spice latte and...one of  _those_?"

Looking down through the glass panel, he saw an array of different pastries and foods that all appealed him, especially the pile of perfectly-baked powdered pastries. 

"Sure thing. That'll be four dollars and fifty cents."

"Damn, I prefer this place already," Tony responded after hearing the prices and he pulled out a five dollar note from his wallet. Erik smiled while nodding, fixing his golden-rimmed glasses.

"Yeah, we don't believe in extorting people for their caffeine addictions. Plus the food usually sells out by the start of the evening."

T'Challa approached Erik from behind and tapped both shoulders with his hands before moving to the right of him.

"Modest as ever, Erik," T'Challa chimed in with a grin. "You wouldn't think I'm the one who makes the food with the number of customers Erik brags to."

Erik shrugged his shoulders and took Tony's money while Tony took note of the fact that T'Challa could cook. 

"You can keep the rest of the change. And they look delicious T'Challa, I'll make sure to let you know what I think."

Both of them looked at each other with raised eyebrows and Tony was beginning to question if he had come across as some creep who was overdoing it, scratching the back of his head nervously as they continued their silence.

Finally, Erik opened his mouth with a shocked expression. "T, that might be the first guy who's said your name right since we opened..."

"He's right," T'Challa added, diverting those large brown eyes back to Tony's. "You said my name right."

The taller barista brought the latte to Erik and the latter picked out a pastry before placing it in a crisp white bag and writing something on Tony's cup. It humored Tony to think if they would give him a wrong name like Starbucks had in the past. 

"Thanks, bruh," Erik said and T'Challa watched Tony as he thanked them back and joined his friends towards the window side of the building. Sam fixed a part of Bucky's hair behind his ear and Tony took a sip of his latte before Bucky's eyebrow arched.

"Dude, there's like, writing on your cup."

Tony tilted his head and looked at Sam with a quizzical smile.

"Is he so stoned he's forgotten how coffee shops work?" Tony chuckled and Sam laughed in retaliation before noticing the lengthy writing on the side of the cup.

"Oh shit, he's right Tony. You've got a whole sentence on there."

Tony became confused and turned the cup inwards to read what it supposedly said with a curious frown across his face. When he made out the words, his eyes opened widely for a second and he looked straight forward before turning around at the unsuspecting man whose barely audible laugh was infectious from the other side of the room. Erik was absentmindedly on his phone as there was no line to serve and Tony deducted that it must have been his crafty work. Instead of a play on his name, what Erik wrote on his cup was much more intriguing -  ** _'_ _he's single btw'_**.


End file.
